European Voluntary Service in Tipu Nature School/Estonia

Project title: Sustainable lifestyle and nature education in Soomaa National Park/Estonia

Location: Tipu village, Soomaa National Park, Viljandi county, Estonia

Period: april 2019 - september 2019

Application deadline: 15th of February

Short description of project: 

The project "Sustainable lifestyle and nature education in Soomaa National Park/Estonia" takes place during the spring and summer season 2019, during which the Nature School offers a wide range of activities for children, youngsters and young adults like educational programs, children and youth camps or international workcamps. With the help of the volunteer we seek to diversify our team and bring in new input and inspiration for children and teens. We are convinced that the voluntary work opens the minds of children and youngsters and grows tolerance. For the team it also helps to devolop our communication and foreign language skills.
During the project time the volunteer will gain praktical skills in nature restauration, gardening and building/wood working. With the support of the team he will conduct his own project, which gives him experiences is project and time management.
The volunteer will gain important skills and knowledge for his future and be more aware of the need for nature protection and the promotion of sustainable lifestyles.

Description of organization: 

Tipu Nature School is a non-profit organization founded in august 2007 with the aim of connecting people with nature and promoting environmental awareness. Tipu Nature School is situated on the base of an old schoolhouse in Tipu village in Soomaa National Park/South-West Estonia , which is known for its vast bog complexes, rivers and flooded meadows. Soomaa offers great possibilities for nature hikes and observations. It is known for its so called fifth season, the flooding.
The main focus of the Nature School is on educational programs for school and kindergarden kids. We also offer nature camps for youngsters during school vacation. Apart from we organize nature hikes, lectures and trainings on environmental education.
Our aim is to build up an interactive, informative and attractive complex. So far the Nature School offers lots of smaller attractions like barefoot-trail, permaculture garden, water playground and the interaction with our animals (goats, chicken, rabbits and bees).
With the help of volunteers from different countries we build up the grounds of the Nature School, keep our hiking trail in order and restore a wooded meadow within the National Park. Therefore we organize workcamps every year. Future plans are on restorating the old schooldhouse and building up a educational information centre within the National Park.

Application process: Please send your CV and letter of motivation to info@tipulooduskool.ee. Please also state whether you have a sending organization or not.

Tasks of the volunteer: (there are two more volunteers from Germany)

Practical nature protection works, Works on the surroundings of the Nature School and on hiking trail Works depend verz much on the season:

Garden work:     planning of garden, gardening, harvesting, information boards, permaculture

Nature protection works:            making hay, cutting bushes

Maintenance of the surroundigs and the hiking trail:       mowing, reparing informations boards and signs, making new atractions

 Educational program   The volunteer participaes in the educational programm, prepares educational programs for school classes and children camps and helps to lead them through.  

Own project   The volunteer is supported to create, work out and realize his/her own project, in the last years for example project like beekeeping, building of chicken house, barefoot trail have been developed by the volunteers.